Stories from a real life cowpuncher that will give you a smile and a glimpse of God.

How to break the monotony of life and truly live.

by Kevin on August 10, 2011

You’re sitting in the box seats right next to the arena. You got dirt kicked up on you during the bareback riding and the cowboys are so close you can hear them when they talk. The next event is calf roping, but it’s much more than that.

The cowboy backs his horse in and adjusts his rope. He waits for the calf to be looking out into the arena where it will be running. The horse is tense as it waits and the chute man eyes the cowboy for his slight nod.

The nod is not so much up and down as just a slight raising of the chin. The chute jumps open and the calf makes a mad dash for freedom. It is allowed to get a little ways down the arena before the cowboy can come thundering after.

Heart pumping and legs churning, the calf runs as fast as it can. The horse and rider are coming up fast and something closes around its head. The rope is the good news, but the bad news is that the horse has stopped. Talk about reaching the end of your rope, the jerk sends the calf flying backwards.

Before the calf can even get its bearings and stand up, the cowboy is there to pick it up and slam it back down. He grabs the calf’s feet and ties them up hard and fast. In triumph, he walks back to his horse.

A few seconds later, a cowboy appears. He seems to be holding the calf down. The calf kicks and fights, but the cowboy is there to help. He is there to release the calf from the ties that bind. He’s there to release you!

In this arena of life, the world will tell you that you can be anything you want to be. The world will tell you that you can be a world champion calf roper, but really, we are all just calves. Jesus called us sheep.

The same thing over and over and over, we run for our lives, only to be roped in again by sin and tied up and thrown down. Sure, we can kick our way free eventually, but it’s made to be like that. The devil wants to rope you over and over and over and over.

But there is another way. That cowboy that comes and takes the sin away, or takes the ropes off of you, is trying to set you free. Not just once so that you’ll be roped again, but for all time.

Once he unties you, if you will follow him, he will show you a way out of the arena. He will care for you. He will provide for you. Instead of belonging to the world, set off running in front of everyone just so you can be roped and tied for their enjoyment, you can really live.

But you have to follow Jesus. He’s the only one that knows where the outside gate is and he’s the only one that can open it.

If you’re on the outside, what is your life like now? How is it different than it used to be?

Don Coyote

Outta the arena and into the pasture. No more kickin’ against the ropes for this ol’ cowboy:

Psalm 23
1) The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2) He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3) He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Back when I was inside the ring, I spent most of my time figuring out ways to kill myself. Yeah, life’s a lot brighter on the outside. 🙂

Buster

I have felt that snap of the rope and two wraps and a hooey are a lot harder to wiggle out of than many might imagine… thank you Jesus for saving us “calves” and turning us out on green pastures… over and over again.